


Broken Vessel

by Radiant_Shooketh



Series: The Nightmare Princess [1]
Category: Hollow Knight (Video Games)
Genre: Adventure, Alternate Universe, Angst and Tragedy, Drama & Romance, Dreams and Nightmares, F/M, Gen, Nightmare Heart - Freeform, Out of Character, The Dragon Prince inspiration, The Grimm Troupe DLC (Hollow Knight), The Radiance (mentioned)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-18
Updated: 2020-02-18
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:20:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22785526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Radiant_Shooketh/pseuds/Radiant_Shooketh
Summary: In a world where Nightmares are practically non-existent, Grimm has to find other ways to gather flames and keep the Nightmare Heart alive.
Relationships: Grimm & Grimmchild (Hollow Knight), Grimm (Hollow Knight)/Original Female Character(s)
Series: The Nightmare Princess [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1638088
Kudos: 24





	1. True Love?

**Author's Note:**

> I felt inspired to write this short series after watching season 3 of The Dragon Friends with my friends a few days ago. There was this one episode in particular that pulled at my heartstrings so I decided to write something similar based off that episode and somehow adapt it to that it fits into Hollow Knight lore, but also not really.

Dreams and Nightmares once existed within the same domain. Two beings of light and flame were born in the realm, the primordial powers of dreams flowing through them. Each of them ruling over their respective purpose. One being, bright as Essence dealt with Dreams while the burned fiercely with flame and dealt with Nightmares. In conclusion, they were “family.” But their relationship was always tense and complicated. 

Eventually, the two fought and the Dream Realm War was born. The being of Dreams overpowered the Nightmare King and banished him to another domain, separate from her realm. With the Nightmare Realm being a separate domain on its own now, he had no way to feed himself. No Nightmares to consume. He felt his form weaken eventually and he was forced to take some drastic measures. His form melted away entirely and was reduced to the form of several hearts clumped up together. The power of the Nightmare Realm, the Nightmare Heart. Without Nightmares to consume, the Heart would die and the Nightmare Realm would vanish. So the Nightmare King came up with a plan.

To create a vessel, a vessel suitable to sustain and feed off its flame. Unfortunately, the vessel would eventually drain away. So a Ritual was conducted. Travel to dying realms and worlds, and feed off the scarlet flames from there and feed it to the new vessel. To complete the Ritual, the current vessel would have to be burned away so that its flames could be fed to the next vessel and then its connection to the Heart would be passed down to the next vessel. This tradition continued for many centuries without barely any problems. The troupe would be summoned to the dying world and the summoner would be accompanied by the small vessel as they gathered flames together. Everything waas in order and it played out like an endless dance. A dance that lasted for many many years.

But there was that very odd year…

A year where Nightmares and misery and fear weren’t present in the world, or there was hardly any to exist at all. This happened to the current troupe master. This vessel was different. Troupe Master Grimm was born into a world where suffering and Nightmares were extremely hard to find. This century was drastically less volatile than what his ancestors experienced. So this was obviously a problem for him, the Heart, and his troupe. Without any flames to feed on, the Heart would die along with the rest of the troupe. So he had to resort to other means to find flames. He’d have to find a mate. And he did find one. 

  
  


She was beautiful. 

They had met one faithful day in a small town, literally bumping into each other. Entranced with one another, Grimm and this mysterious maiden talked and connected rather easily. He’s learned that she is a beautiful, funny, smart, and compassionate woman. She was a warrior, apparently. A strong, independent fighter who was reliable and one of the protectors of her town. 

She had a white shell covering her head, a slim and tall figure and wearing a purple cloak. He once asked her what was underneath her shell when they were together one day. Telling someone their deepest and darkest secrets required trust and time. They had spent a year together before she finally unmasked herself. Her skin was entirely dark, like the darkest part of the night sky and silky white hair that came up to her waist. In turn, she required Grimm to confess something about himself. 

  
And so he did. 

He told her everything. About who he was, what he came here for, and his entire situation. A vessel for some Higher Being requiring the scarlet flames to sustain the Heart. Grimm told her about how he was having some problems gathering flames of a dying world and how the problem was that there was no world or kingdom that was in ruin. So he told her how he needed to consume someone’s Nightmares instead. Everyone who had Nightmares contain scarlet flames within their minds. 

“Do you have Nightmares?” Grimm asked her. 

“Of course I do. I have fears of my own that somehow warp themselves into my sleep. You need to consume my Nightmares then, right?” 

“Yes.”

It felt wrong, but he had no choice. But his own heart was bigger than the Heart he was meant to serve. So he put his desires above those of the troupe, and of the Heart. Before even thinking of consuming her Nightmares, he’d need to ask permission. So through that, he first asked to marry the girl. He proposed and she said yes. They held a small private wedding in the tent of the troupe. A few months later, she joined the troupe. Grimm has created a mask for her and they held a private ceremony, just the two of them. 

He held the mask up to her. “You know you can still change your mind. You don’t have to do this.”

“I married you, so there’s no going back. I’m in this till the end. We promised each other, remember? I’m staying with you.”

“Very well then.” He closed his eyes in thought. “Upon wearing this mask, you choose to willingly join the troupe and serve the Nightmare Heart. I will feast upon your Nightmares solely to keep the Heart alive. When the time is right, a new vessel shall be created and I will pass on the connection of the Heart to the new vessel. Am I going too fast for you?”

“When you mean the new vessel, do you mean… a kid?” She asked the question quite shyly. 

“...yes, what are you suggesting?” 

“...”

It took him a few seconds, but Grimm eventually got the hint. 

“I would not suggest getting attached to the vessel. They are meant to sustain the Heart. Eventually, they too will grow weak and they will have to conduct the same Ritual to keep the Heart alive. We are all bound to the Heart,” he said.

“Why call it a vessel?” She asked.

“Because they are as such. I too, am a vessel for the Heart.”

“So you’re saying you will eventually be drained away and die?” 

“Yes, and that is why the child is created so that the Heart shall live on.”

“That's wrong!”

“That’s the way of the Grimm troupe, my dear.”

“What kind of relationship will we be having, then? You’ll die, and then who will I love?! This isn’t love, Grimm! You’re using me for my Nightmares!” 

“...”

“I’m right, and you know it!” And she stormed off. Grimm didn’t stop her as he watched her storm out of the tent. 

He sighed deeply. “What have I gotten ourselves into?” 


	2. Indefinite stasis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prepare for sadness, my dudes.

Grimm remembered chasing after her. That’s when he actually broke down in front of her. He wasn't known to do that. Not in front of his troupe, in front of strangers, or anyone really. He started desperately explaining why he needed to consume flames, why the child had to be born and why the Heart needed to be kept alive all while trying not to burst out crying. He can’t cry. He’s the host to the Nightmare King, an individual of raw and terrifying powers. And here he was, struggling to keep it together in front of his wife.

He was very lucky to have married an understanding and kind woman. She reached out and grabbed his hands, tears in her eyes. “You’ve been born into a terrible fate, bound by some Higher Being. Born into invisible chains… Grimm, for as long as you and I shall live, I will stand by your side.” 

“Even if it’s for a short amount of time?” He asked softly, unsure of himself. This wasn’t him. He was always sure of himself, no matter what the situation was. But here he was, completely unsure on whether this was right, or wrong and what the effects this would have on those around him. In the past, he didn’t have to worry about things like that. 

His wife nodded. “I’ll take whatever time you’ve got left. I’ll help you make it through this. That’s why I married you, is it not? We support and love each other, till the very end. Even if The End has no definite time, but that’s what it’s all about, I suppose… But I do have a request, if you’ll allow it.”

It was his turn to nod his head. “Of course. It’s only fair, after all I’ve asked of you.”

“My request is that we do have this child, and we will love it and cherish it. All while it fulfills its destiny on becoming the next vessel.” Grimm hesitated once more.

“Growing attached to the child will make it all the more difficult to deal with, knowing its fate.” 

“That doesn’t matter to me,” she said. “I want a child to love, to nourish, to see it grow… Even if its time is also short. That’s all I ask from you, Grimm. Please?” 

This was a lot to take in and think about. He’s always wanted to father a child, but not to raise it to its death. He wanted to see it live its life but unfortunately like his wife said, he and the child are forever bound to the ritual, born into invisible chains to serve the Heart. He closed his eyes. It would be nice, though. Now, his species was made where he didn’t need any help creating an offspring. He could simply create a child with the snap of his fingers. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t have a child through other means.

“Very well, if you please. Oh, before I forget… To take the Nightmares from your Dreams, it comes at the expense of your lifespan. Are you prepared to sacrifice your life to keep the Heart alive? You can still back out from this.”

“I refuse to cower away from this. You know I’d give my life for you, Grimm.”

He smiled. “Well, not necessarily for my life. The life of the child, and the Heart.” 

The agreement was made, and she put the mask over his face and sealed her fate. They mated, they slept together and in her Nightmares, the Nightmare King was there to briefly greet her before collecting the flames from within her mind. Their child was born shortly after that, a small little grey larva, born with the same white mask that Grimm wore, with 4 pseudo wings and a single horn on their head. Their eyes were pitched black.

“Why are their eyes completely black?” She asked. 

“They don’t have the connection to the Heart just yet. Once I am gone from this world, I will pass on the connection onto them, and then their eyes will be red like mine.” Grimm held out a small jar with the flame inside of it. “From your Nightmares, they will consume this and will grow a bit… Would you like to see it?”

“Yes, of course!” 

Grimm opened the jar and took out a spoon. He gathered the flames inside of it and started feeding the baby. They opened their mouths and consumed the flames. After Grimm had finished feeding the baby, they transformed before the parents’ very eyes, growing from a small larva to a slightly larger bug with a longer grey body and wings, and they grew two black horns at last. Grimm’s wife pouted slightly. 

“Aw, I liked it better when they were a small little larva. They were so squishy, and small.” Grimm laughed at that. 

“It’s a girl, actually.” 

“Pardon?”

“The child is a girl.”

“Oh, how nice! Wait, how could you tell?” She asked. 

Grimm pointed at their grey body. “See how it curves slightly at the end? Only girls have that.” 

“Aw, how nice!” 

That’s how they spent the rest of their lives together. They raised and loved the child to their fullest. Grimm entered her Dreams every night and with those flames gathered, the child grew stronger and stronger each day. The troupe was a travelling circus, so they had to put on performances every day. That also meant they were constantly on the move. At some point, the troupe had settled onto some strange kingdom. Fortunately, this kingdom was in ruin. 

“Perfect! There must be many flames here for the child to consume upon and grow!” He turned to his wife. “My dear, I don’t think I have any need for your Nightmares any longer. This kingdom has plenty of Nightmare flames.” 

“That’s great, Grimm.” 

When you ask someone what Dreams and Nightmares are, people automatically respond with this common answer: Nightmares are bad, and Dreams are good. That is actually a common misconception within the mortal realms. Nightmares are a reminder of reality. They take the craziest fantasies and fears that exist within an individual’s heart and turn them into a bad dream. But once someone awakens from that dream, they are comforted by loved ones nearby. Dreams on the other hand are quite fragile, yet very deceiving.

The same thing could be said about the rulers of those respective realms. The Radiance was, a radiant figure who was at first seen as some benevolent rulers but was in fact quite ruthless and coldhearted and spiteful, banishing the Nightmare Realm from her own kingdom. The two were once kindred, and for no reason chooses to be hateful. Her intentions are quite deceitful in nature. Her thoughts on mortals were quite low; weak and pathetic creatures. The Nightmare King, or its vessel one should say, was warm. Both literally and in personality. Strange, one might say that he was a pacifist. Kindhearted and caring in nature, beloved by both family and his troupe. He would in no way go to some random town and wreak havoc upon it. He had no reason to - his life was perfect. A loving wife, and a beautiful daughter. His thoughts on mortals were one of respect and admiration and awe. 

But his opinions of them changed drastically one day. 

Grimm was just in his tent, about to have a nap with his daughter. His wife had gone out to explore the ruins, so she expected to not find anybody there. She was surprised when she encountered a group of unknown bugs with hoodies pulled over their heads. She suddenly felt apprehensive and tried to ignore them. Unfortunately, they noticed her and all of them started to surround her.

“What do you want?” She demanded in a harsh voice.

The leader of the group was dead on with the question: “Do you belong to that weird group that settled in the middle of town? The one with that weird red tent?” 

“Yes, and why do you ask?” She realized a little too late that she should not have answered that question. Why answer a question to a bunch of suspicious looking bugs that she had never met before? And what’s worse, they might be dangerous. But she didn’t want any troubles. She didn’t want to cause a scene. Not right now. 

“We are demanding that you leave,” the leader ordered. 

“We mean no harm,” she tried reasoning. “We won’t be staying too long, anyway.” 

The leader took out their nail and pointed it directly at her. “We are not asking nicely. You and your troupe need to leave.” The rest of the group followed suit and also pulled out their nails from their cloak. This escalated quickly. 

She also pulled her long nail out and pointed it at the leader, who scoffed with indignation. She smirked. “What, just because I am a woman does not mean I do not know how to fight. Get those assumptions out of your heads!” 

“Doesn’t matter - man or woman, you will die here because you are outnumbered. Whatever is back in that creepy tent of yours, we will destroy it.”

“Stay away from there!” She finally shouted at them. She looked at the leader, a little more desperately. Completely out of her character, but what choice did she have? There was precious cargo back there. “Please, we mean no harm back there. I am a wife and a mother. My husband and daughter are back there, completely harmless. We are just a friendly group of nomadic bugs. We are not disturbing the lands. Please!” 

“Doesn’t appear that way to us. We’ll kill you, and whatever is in that dreadful tent back there!”   
  
“NO!”

  
  


Grimm was very worried when his wife didn’t return to the tent many hours after she had left. He asked one of the Grimmkin Novices to look after his child as he made his way out of the tent to search for her. It didn’t take too long to find her, probably a 10 minute walk from the tent. But what he found, made him let out a despairing screech that echoed throughout the valley. He found her on the ground, cold and dead. A pool of dark red surrounding and drowning her limp figure, her eyes wide open. He collapsed to his knees, scooped up her corpse and held her close to his chest as he sobbed. Who could have done this? His question was answered when he heard an explosion in the distance. He immediately teleported back to the front of his tent, and found more chaos.

The tent was on fire, and it wasn’t the flame that was unique to him and his kin at all. It was just regular fire that mortals used in many ways. His eyes widened in alarm. His child was there No, he couldn’t lose her too. Not her. Grimm sprinted towards the tent and went inside. His eyes could not prepare him for what he saw. Most of his troupe members lay dead on the floor, all scorched up. His kin was not made for this kind of fire, so they burned up rather easily. Even Grimm was struggling to maintain composure here. The air was hard to breathe, and was getting too hot. He trudged through the burning tent, trying to ignore the carnage of his dead kin on the ground, scattered about. 

He found the Grimmkin that was babysitting his child, but he didn’t find his child. Where was she? From the other rooms, Divine and Brumm emerged from the shadow, coughing and choking on the air.

“Master, are you okay?” Divine asked.

“...no.”

“Come again?”

“I said no!” 

“What happened?” 

“My… My wife, she… She was found dead just a few minutes away from the tent. I - I don’t know what happened to her. It looks like she was ambushed by a large group, but by who… I don’t know, I…” Grimm collapsed onto the floor, tears flooding his eyes. “And… and I can’t find my daughter. I can’t find her… I left a Grimmkin in charge to look after her, but… I found them, but not her.” 

“Oh, Master…” 

“Mrmm, maybe she escaped the tent?” Brumm suggested. Grimm shook his head.

“It’s impossible, she couldn’t have foreseen the explosion… She… I…” 

“Well, if you couldn’t find her here, then maybe she-”

“NO!” He screeched at them. “She’s gone, both her and my wife. Just leave me be! Let me burn within this tent so that I may join them soon. Please…”

“Grimm, please.”

“LEAVE!” 

Brumm and Divine shared a brief look before they fled the tent, as it burned. Grimm retreated to his quarters, where the foreign fire burned brightly there. He curled up into a fetal position and pain no attention to the burning environment around him. He found the fire making its way on his cloak, but he hardly blinked as it burned it. The curtains of the tent were scorched, and the air burned. 

Grimm thought of the brief time he spent with his wife and child. They were a happy family, despite the circumstances they had been put in. They knew many people didn't like them very much because of their appearance or the intimidating aura they exuded, but no one in the other towns and villages and kingdoms they’ve been did anything bad to them. Here in a kingdom long in ruin with very few people left, they had somehow managed to make Grimm spiteful of mortals and their capabilities. Whoever killed his wife, attacked the tent and his troupe, and took his most beloved from him… They were the lowest of low, whatever was lower than scum… That’s what they were. 

It had been many days before the fire finally settled down. Grimm had miraculously survived the fire, but he was too weak to move. But it wasn’t physical restrictions that weighed him down. The grief and sorrow that he felt in his heart made him want to die. He knew revenge wouldn’t bring back his wife and child. So giving up on the world entirely, he closed his eyes… A world without them was a world not worth living in…

  
  
_ The legends tell of a strange creature inside a burned up tent. The legends say he is a mourning figure. A figure who has lost his wife and child, the two most important people in his life. Since he could not die, he entered a deep stasis. An eternal sleep would not soothe his grieving heart and for the rest of eternity, would be bitter at the world. The two survivors of the troupe vowed to keep their master safe and stood guard of the burnt up tent, keeping any wanderers away from it, patiently waiting until their master woke up. _


End file.
